Alexithymia and personality characteristics of patients with somatoform disorders / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the alexithymia and personality characteristics in patients with somatoform disorders.Methods Totally 60 patients with somatoform disorders and 60 normal controls were tested with Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS) and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI).Results The patients with somatization disorders showed alexithymia and personality base.The total and factor scores of TAS of study group((86.20 ± 11.15),(21.12 ± 3.28),(26.08 ± 3.86),(18.21 ± 4.69),(23.44 ±5.60)) were higher than controlled group((65.00 ± 10.12),(12.43 ±5.18),(15.64 ±5.57),(15.56 ±3.16),(18.71 ±4.30)) with significant difference (t =2.11-6.22,P =0.000-0.042).The MMPI scale scores of Hs (hypochondriasis),D (depression),Hy(hysteria),Men-Nancy(Mf),paranoid(Pa),psychotic(Pt) were higher in patients with somatoform disorders ((72.79 ± 10.50),(68.46 ± 13.63),(79.03 ± 12.12),(51.72 ± 7.74),(57.98 ± 10.60),(54.98 ±8.83)) than those in normal controls ((51.66 ± 10.11),(47.96 ±9.42),(51.47± 11.90),(43.66 ±8.77),(47.67 ± 6.69),(47.48 ±8.67)) with significant difference (t =2.56-6.86,P =0.000-0.015),especially the scale scores of Hy and Hs were the most significantly among those (T ＞ 70).There was close correlation between personality traits and alexithymia.Factor Ⅰ was positively related to depression,paranoid and psychotic,the relevancy was 0.454(P =0.023),0.405 (P=0.044),0.477 (P=0.016) respectively,besides Factor Ⅱ was also positively related to depression,and the relevancy was 0.437(P=0.029).Conclusion Patients with somatoform disorders have the alexithymia and the personality characteristics,and there are close relationship between them.